Listening
by Godsliltippy
Summary: Gordon keeps watch over the hospital bed that holds to woman he loves.
1. Chapter 1

Pen and Ink fic, cause I can't stop! Hope y'all enjoy it!

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Soft lighting and clinical beeps resonating from machines. These were the sounds that greeted Gordon Tracy every afternoon for the past two weeks. This day was no different.

The door opened to the hospital room and he quietly greeted the one other occupant who had stood watch for the times Gordon couldn't be there. Weary blue eyes met amber ones as the younger handed over a bag and cup of warm liquid.

"Any changes?" The briefing had become routine.

"Nothing as h'of yet, but the doctors are saying brain function is good." Parker took the meal with a sad smile. "M'lady is fighting hard, she is."

Gordon took the seat next to the bed that Parker had occupied before he moved over to the small guest table to eat the warm lunch. She looked the same as she had the day before. Her hair was still pulled over her right shoulder, the loose curls twisted neatly to keep the strands from interfering with the tubes that kept her breathing. Her face was pale, absent of her usual makeup.

He took her one uninjured hand in his, squeezing slightly in hopes of encouraging a response.

"Hey, Penelope. It's Gordon. Ready for some more stories?" He heard the slight scoff from Parker. "Probably not, but you're going to have to wake up if you want me to be quiet." Silence floated thickly around them, interrupted by the hiss of the ventilator and beep of the heart monitor. He sighed and settled in a little closer. "Alright then, you asked for it."

Gordon spent most of the afternoon reciting the events of the previous day's rescue involving thunderbird 1 and group of activists who refused to leave a mining facility as it tried to collapse around them. He even divulged some secret tales from his childhood that were far more embarrassing for himself than he intended. Thankfully, Parker had stepped out during those particular stories. Now, he just sat there, alone, watching her unnatural breathing. His mind would always make it's way back to the events that occurred two weeks earlier.

The call had come over international rescue's communications early that morning. He had just pulled himself out of the pool when Parker's distraught cry shot through the living room. He'd almost slipped into the lounge as his wet feet lost traction. There had been an attack at the British museum during an event he and lady Penelope had been attending. Parker had been separated for his charge during the event, and when the explosives went off, he had been unable to contact her. The whole team had worked to find and evacuate survivors. It had been Gordon who found her. It had nearly stopped his heart, seeing her so broken and still.

He had to remind himself to breath every time the images invaded his mind. His hand gripped hers a little tighter as a reminder that she was still alive.

Gordon was awoken from the chair around dawn by Parker, who had returned to take the next shift. He rubbed a hand over his face before looking at the comatose woman he cared so much about. The tubes were still there, sending a stab of pain through his heart.

"Any news?" It was a mirror of the previous afternoon. Parker placed the breakfast on the table.

He shook his head, not certain he wanted to use his voice right now. He still had her hand in his, he noticed. Funny how the first time he'd held her hand, he thought he'd never get another chance. Now that he could, he feared he'd never get to tell her what he should have a long time ago.

Gordon stood, knowing he needed to get back to the island. She was in good hands while he was gone.

Something made him stop by her bedside, however. His fingers were stiff, having not moved all afternoon and night, but as he opened them, hers remained wrapped around his palm.

Parker must have noticed his expression. "What is it, Gordon?"

He flexed the hand gently… and her hand stayed.

"Get the doctor." His voice was a whisper, daring to hope.

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The next few hours had been a blur of nurses and doctors, scans, tests, and finally the medications that had been keeping her sedated were lessened. He could tell she was fighting to wake up and would get an eyelid open before succumbing to her fatigue. Eventually, the tubes were removed now that she was able to breath on her own.

Parker had just left to get them more coffee when she finally achieved an alertness that left Gordon's heart racing. What was he supposed to tell her? Would she freak out? Would he lose her again?

He hastily cut off the flow of thought and decided to let her lead.

"Hey there." He smiled, trying to keep her calm. "How do you feel?"

She gave him a pained look, shaking her head. He'd seen enough trauma to know she was hurting pretty significantly.

"You want me to get the nurse?"

A nod and he left, hoping to find someone who could take the pain away.

The next time he was alone with her, the strain had left her face and she looked to be floating on her own personal cloud.

"Gordon." Penelope's smile was a full-face event. "Thank you."

"I'm here to serve, m'lady." He gave her his most dashing grin. More sincere, "Anything you need, you just let me know."

Her arm came up off the bed, slender fingers reaching for his. It had occurred to him he'd stopped holding her hand after she started coming out of her coma. It made his heart flip that she would want his.

Gordon's hand took hers, covering the chilled skin with his other hand and resting them on the bed. He felt silly as a slight warmth moved over his cheeks.

A light trill of laughter from the medicated woman, "Rosie cheeks."

That made him laugh. It wasn't what she said, but how she said it. "Feeling much better are we?"

"Mmm, much." She sighed, suddenly sobering. "Was it terrible?"

He hesitated, not sure what part she meant. He decided to go with the whole reason they were here.

"It was," he squeezed her hand reassuringly, "but we got everyone out, so don't worry about all that."

Blue eyes were staring at him, "You saved me?"

"Uh- yes."

"Gordon…"

Gordon realized this conversation might need to wait until she was a lot less medicated. Proper Penny wouldn't forgive him if he let Loopy Penny divulge too much.

"Hey, how about you rest. Plenty of time for stories of heroism later." She made a face in protest, but was interrupted by the door opening.

"M'lady! You're h'awake!" Parker deposited the coffees on the table, moving to stand next to Penelope.

"Parker!" It came out slightly slurred.

And that was his cue. She needed rest and he needed to get back to the island.

"Hey, Pen-" she was staring at him again with oceans that were a touch to bright, "-I uh- I have to leave, just for a little while," he added at the distraught look. "I'm glad you're awake."

"Gordon, I-"

"Tomorrow," he pulled his hands away, laying hers on the bed, "I'll be back and we can talk all you want."

He gave Parker a look that he hoped conveyed his reasoning. Emotions were running high and this was not the time or place. Coffee snatched off the table for the long trip home, he opened the door to leave.

"Love you…"

His heart threatened to choke him where he stood. He could run right now, just ignore the comment and save them both the pain if this was just a drug-induced exaggeration. He couldn't do that though. Instead, he turned and gave her a patient smile.

"Tell me again tomorrow. Rest."

He didn't let her protest, didn't look at Parker's sympathetic frown. He shut the door and left. Tomorrow she'd be clearer. Tomorrow she can tell him one way or the other. And if she doesn't, then she'll hear it from him.


	2. Pick Up

I hadn't planned on writing this, but my friend said it had to be done!

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Pink luggage suited him, he decided. Although, not a common occurrence in the Tracy household, he hadn't really been given the chance for color appraisal. It could also be the company to which the luggage belonged. He'd be glad to carry anything belonging to her, no matter the color.

Gordon stood by Penelope's side as they waited for Parker to pull the car around. The wheelchair was no longer a 24/7 necessity, but she was still left winded after walking for more than five minutes straight. She had protested when he pulled it into her room which led to a half-hearted argument that he hated winning.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her tug at the sling holding her left arm. The bulky stabilizer had been replaced with a sleek plasti-cast that made most of her everyday activities much simpler. The damage to her right leg had been severe, but the surgeons were confident that the "bacta-gel"- not it's actual name, but he found it amusing- would speed up cell regeneration within a month. Unfortunately, it did nothing for returning range of motion and the ability to hold her full weight. That would come from weeks of physical therapy. Not a pleasant chain of thought. And it seemed one that he was sharing with the woman he would do anything for.

"Gordon?" Her usual proper mannerisms in full force again, "I've been thinking. Would you be willing to assist in my physical therapy sessions? I understand if you would not be available on a daily basis, but any help would be appreciated."

"If you want to spend more time with me, just say so." Gordon teased. Truthfully, he didn't think he had the strength to be the one putting her through any kind of pain, much less the kind he was far too familiar with.

"I would like to spend more time with you." Her eyes met his, firm and serious.

It was enough to draw the breath from his lungs, rendering his voice useless. He'd been waiting for this conversation since her medication-induced confession. For weeks it seemed the words had never existed, and now, he was floundering. The desire to be in the same room as her was battling with the knowledge that she would be in pain, solely caused by him. It was the post-hydrofoil memories that gave him purchase and let him answer.

"Penny... I-" he cleared his suddenly too-dry throat, "You know I will be there whenever you need me, but-" When did his hands start shaking... He flexed the one hand not clinging to the pink suitcase trying to still the unexpected reaction. He could feel her eyes on him and he realized he was focusing too much on one part of her statement. Did she really need him for therapy or just companionship? One was far more appealing than the other.

Gentle fingers slid into his hand as it opened for the umpteenth time. And in that instant, he knew he wouldn't refuse. Couldn't refuse. If she needed him to get her through the pain of reworking newly healed muscles, he'd give her everything he had.

"If it's too much to ask-" The slight disappointment in her voice made him want to curl up under a rock.

"Sorry! No, sorry- I mean! Yes!" He quickly shut his mouth, trying desperately to get his tongue under control. Breathing in and out, he gave her hand a light squeeze. "I'm sorry. I can be where ever you need me, whenever."

"Are you sure?" Her raised brow drew him to her eyes.

"Yes," he paused, "but I have one request."

"Name it." He could get lost in that smile.

"The physical therapy," he gave her his best Serious-Gordon face, "if it gets to be too much and you want me to stop, you have to tell me, deal?"

Her eyes moved past him to the approaching pink car. "Here's Parker, help me up?"

Acting as her personal walking stick, he helped her to her feet. Now stopped under the canopy of the hospital's front entrance, Parker busied himself with the luggage. Gordon was more than happy to hand over his particular bag in exchange for her arm as he led her to the back seat.

Bracing to help her step into the car, he was surprised to have her turn to face him.

The electric shock that shot through his brain as her lips pressed against the corner of his mouth was enough to melt every concern he had about the promise he was making. The moment was only an instant and he was looking into her eyes again.

"Deal. Can we start tomorrow?" He managed a nod before helping her into the car.

His heart- or his stomach- was doing cartwheels as he watched Fab1 pull away. The logistics of being lady Penelope's coach as well as a member of IR were nagging somewhere at the back of his mind, but that could wait until tomorrow. All he needed to focus on was how to keep his sanity while spending time with the woman he cared so much about, who had chosen him to cause her physical pain, no matter how necessary it was.

After a while, and on his way back to the heli-pod to head home, he decided life was too short to worry about the what ifs of the future. She would keep her part of the deal. A deal she had sealed.

Gordon smiled at the prospect of more 'seals' in the days to come.

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Ack! I feel like I need to write a third part to this! … it may happen!

Hope y'all enjoyed part 2!


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